Seat and aisle lighting



April 21, 1953 L. w. HILTMAN EI'AL 2,635,631

SEAT AND AISLE LIGHTING Filed March 16 1950 IINVENTORSI W 6% 8 HEM find f ATTORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 21, 1953 UNITED. STATES ewes);-

... FrGielow, Brookfield, 111;, assignors, by mesne assignments, to American Seating Company, a

This invention r elates to seat'and aislelight ing, =1 r.

An object of the invention is to provide a-structure for providing a bright illuminating light for w corporation of New Jersey 7 .Ae ucaumiiu h 16,1950, SerialNo.150,084 I z'claiins. (01. 155-7198) 2 a 22 having spaced ports'23 in thebottom thereof. In the illustration given, we provide threeiports 23, and we prefer to employ above each port an electric'lamp 24. Thebox 22 is provided along the floor of the aisle in a vehicle while providing 5 its top Wall with spaced flanges 25 running lona subdued light above the seat and preferably ilgitudinally of the box and inclined upwardly and luminating a sign. Yet another object is to prooutwardly to receive the angular flange I8 of vide a structure in which a bright light is shelplate I6. With this structure, it will be noted tered below an arm seat and well under the same that the box 22 and the aperture 23 are thus so as to present no direct beams in a direction 10 spaced well inwardly of the plate 2I so that the above the seat while at the same time directing a light rays from the bulb are shielded from persons subdued light outwardly to a sign substantially Walking along the aisle while, at the same time, flush with the outer surface of the seat to illumithe bulb rays are utilized for illuminating the hate the sign and provide a subdued light for the sign above and giving a soft or reflected light upper portion of the aisle. Other specific objects visible to persons in the aisle. The name or and advantages will appear as the specification number on the sign is set out prominently, but proceeds. the light cast into the aisle from the sign is a sub- The invention is shown in an illustrative emdued light. On the other hand, direct rays from bodiment by the accompanying drawing, in the light bulb are cast upon the floor so that comwhichplete illumination of the floor is provided to en- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a seat equipped able the person in the aisle to see his way clearly with structure embodying our invention; Fig. 2, and to avoid cases or any obstructions therein. a perspective view of the sign plate and illumi- The angularly-extending flange is effective in nating means therefor; and Fig. 3, a broken seccarrying the light rays to the sign portion above, tional view, the section being taken as indicated while at the same time enabling the light bulb at line 33 of Fig.1. to be located at a point well inwardly of the In the illustration given, I0 designates a seat outer edge of the arm rest so that the direct light structure adapted for busses, railways, aerorays from the bulb are shielded fully from the planes, and other vehicles. The seat comprises personinthe aisle above. base pedestals I I upon which is mounted .seat In the drawing, three light bulbs are shown beframe I2. The frame carries seat cushions I3 low the sign plate I6. It will be understood that and back cushions I 4. On the outer side of the a single light bulb or other source of illumination seat I0 is an arm frame I5. Within the frame may extend lengthwise of the lower edge of the I5 there is provided a sign plate I6 formed of plate and the box 22 may be provided with spaced light-transmitting plastic or any suitable transapertures 23 through which the rays from the parent material and provided on its rear with single bulb may pass therethrough. If desired, recesses II forming the sign indicia. The rethe apertures 23 may be merged to form a single cesses may be covered with paint or lacquer to narrow slit or aperture. accentuate the sign characters or numerals and While in the foregoing specification we have set also the back side of the plate may be lacquered out a specific structure in considerable detail for for a similar purpose. The sign may set out a name or seat number or other desired indicia.

We prefer to employ a plate IB having a straight upper portion and an angular inwardly and downwardly inclined lower flange portion I8, as shown best in Fig. 3. The upper straight portion which bears the sign recesses I7 is aligned with a recess i9 in the outer plate of the arm rest frame so that the sign plate is visible from the outer side of the arm rest. A flange 20 is employed and preferably secured to the plate 2I of the arm rest frame I5, as shown best in Fig. 3.

At the base of the arm rest I5 and inwardly of the side plate 2|, we provide an illumination box the purpose of illustrating the invention, it will be understood that the details of structure may be varied widely by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of our invention.

We claim:

1. In a seat structure having a base, a seat thereon, and an arm rest supported upon the side of the seat and terminating in a line generally aligned with the bottom portion of the seat, said arm rest having an opening therein, a light-transmitting sign-bearing plate closing said opening and forming a portion of the side wall of said arm rest, said plate having its lower edge terminating near the bottom of said arm rest, a casing secured to the lower edge portion of said arm rest and providing an illumination box, said casing being slotted along its upper side to receive the lower edge of said light-transmitting plate, said casing having its lower side provided with an illumination opening for the projection of light rays below said arm rest, and a light bulb mounted in said illumination box for projecting rays downwardly below said arm rest and upwardly through the plate forming a panel in said arm rest.

2. In a seat structure having a base, a seat thereon, and an arm rest supported upon the side of the seat and terminating in a line generally aligned with the bottom portion of the seat, said arm rest having an opening therein, a light-transmitting plate closing said opening and forming a portion of the side wall of said arm rest, said plate having its lower edge terminating near the bottom of said arm rest, a casing secured to the lower edge portion of said arm rest and providing an illumination box, said Casing being slotted along its upper side to receiye the lower edge, of said light-transmitting plate, said, casing having its lower side'provided with an illumination opening for the projection of light rays below said arm rest, and a light bulb mounted in said illuminating box for projecting rays downwardly below said arm rest and upwardly through the plate forming a panel in said arm rest.

LAURENCE W. HILTMAN. GEORGE F. GIELOW.

-- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 138,511 Dreyfuss Aug. 15, 1944 1,420,059 Roth June 20, 1922 1,440,096 Murray Dec. 26, 1922 1,488,888 Lewensohn Apr. 1, 1924 1,726,907 Lewensohn Sept. 3, 1929 1,840,325 McCann Jan. 12, 1932 2,196,105 Cunningham Apr. 2, 1940 2,316,589 Iwanowicz Apr. 13, 1943 2,505,687 Murphy et al Apr. 25, 1950 2,520,730 Krone Aug. 29, 1950 2,529,713 Thurston Nov. 14, 1950 

